Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad
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Superhuman Samurai Syber Squad was an American television series. It was distributed by Tsuburaya, Ultracom, DiC Entertainment, and All-American Television, and ran for two seasons from September 12, 1994 to July 15, 1995 on ABC, as well as in syndication. It was considered an alternative to the popular Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers, which was also derived from a Japanese tokusatsu series.
SSSS is an adaptation of the Japanese tokusatsu series Denkou Choujin Gridman which was produced by Tsuburaya Productions.
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[edit] Plot
| “ | 'The evil Kilokahn lives inside computer circuits. With the help of Malcolm Frink, he creates mega-virus monsters to attack electronic systems. Meanwhile, a freak accident turned Sam Collins into Servo. His friends join forces in their Samurai attack vehicles. Together, they transform into the Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad!' | ” |
High school student Sam Collins, is the head of a band (Team Samurai) and programs video games. During a recording session Sam is zapped by a power surge and disappears, only to reappear seconds later with a strange device attached to his wrist (which is at the time irremovable.) Later, after his friends Amp, Sydney, and Tanker leave, one of his video game programs dubbed, "Servo," is subject to a power surge and zaps Sam again. This time the zap pulls him into the digital world and turns him into his creation. As Servo, he roams the digital world and fights Monster "Megaviruses."
Meanwhile Malcolm Frink, another student from Sam's school, is designing monsters on his home computer when Kilokahn (an escaped military Artificial Intelligence presumed dead in the power surge) visits Malcolm via computer screen. Kilokahn strikes a deal with Malcolm and turns his digital monster into a Monster Megavirus who is not only capable of corrupting electronics but is also capable of affecting the real world.
Sam now as Servo, must enter the digital world and stop Malcolm's and Kilokahn's Megaviruses. Sometimes, when Servo was unable to handle a virus by himself he would call on the help of his friends using his Arsenal Programs. The Arsenal Programs could fight the viruses solo, transform (with the help of other Programs) and attach to Servo as armor. Since Team Samurai consisted of only 3 people at any one time (excluding Sam), only 3 vehicles were available at any one time. When Servo linked up with these Programs as armor, he changed his name to either "Phormos" or "Synchro" (when he combined with Drago or Xenon, respectively.)
[edit] Characters
[edit] Team Samurai
- Sam Collins - The star of the series. To enter Cyberspace, he utters the words "Let's Samurize, Guys!" (often spoken in unison by the entire team), at which point, he would strum his guitar. If his guitar was unavailable, he would instead press on his wrist communicator. He is portrayed by Matthew Lawrence.
- Tanker - The band's drummer and a stereotypical jock. To enter Cyberspace, he would utter the phrase "Let's Kick Some Giga-Butt!" after which point he would knock his drumsticks together. Tanker's uniform was a Black Biker suit with a black helmet and a see-through visor. He is portrayed by Kevin Castro.
- Sydney "Syd" Forrester - Sydney is the brains of the group she is the band's keyboard player. She is also a good singer. To enter Cyberspace, she utters the words "Pump up the Power!" at which point she would jump up in the air, pumping her fist with her raised arm. Sydney's uniform was a Pink Biker suit with a gold helmet and a see-through visor. She is portrayed by Robin Mary Florence.
- Amp Ere - Amp is the team's so-called space cadet (when he left the show it's implied that he really was a space cadet) and the band's bass player. To enter Cyberspace, he always used a different phrase to be humorous. Some of them are "Three For a Dollar!", "With a Cherry on Top!", "And a Side Order of Fries!", "Shake Well Before Using!", "Over the Lips, Past the Gums, Look out Virus, Here I Come!", "For Sam, Sydney, Tanker & Ms. Tilden!", "Two For a Dollar!", "Don't Give up the Hedgeclippers!", "Hold All My Mail!", "All Shall be Yours and Shall be Mine!" at which his poses vary too. Amp's uniform consisted of a Helicopter Helmet and Leather Jacket. It is later revealed that Amp is really an alien and returns to his own planet with his parents offscreen. He is portrayed by Troy Slaten.
- Lucky London - Lucky is a surfer and was Amp's replacement. To enter Cyberspace, he would utter the phrase "Surf's Up!" at which point, he would usually do a surfing pose. Lucky's uniform consisted of a Red/White Jetski Helmet with a black visor and Life Jacket. He is portrayed by Rembrandt.
[edit] Villains
- Kilokahn - Kilometric Knowledge-base Animate Human Nullity. A military artificial intelligence program who unleashes computer viruses to attack major computer systems. He derisively refers to humans as "meat-things." Kilokahn considers himself the ruler of the digital world and also wishes to take over the world starting with the world's computer network. He is voiced by Tim Curry.
- Malcolm Frink - A loner who dresses in black garb and goes to the same high school as Sam. He only finds companionship in Kilokahn. Malcolm derives enjoyment out of hurting other people with his computer viruses, which he creates and Kilokahn brings to life. He is portrayed by Glen Beaudin.
[edit] Recurring characters
- Jennifer "Jen" Doyle - Sam's girlfriend, Malcolm tries to compete for her affections. She is portrayed by Jayme Betcher.
- Mrs. Cha-Cha Rimba Starkey - The cafeteria lunchlady, who often has a dry sense of humor. She is portrayed by Diana Bellamy.
- Principal Pratchert - The school principal who is usually strict, but can be caring at times. He is portrayed by John Wesley.
- Yolanda "Yoli" Pratchert - The principal's daughter and Jennifer's closest friend. In the episode "What Rad Universe," an alternate dimension version of Yolanda found companionship in Kilokhan making her that dimension's version of Malcolm Frink while the Malcolm Frink of that dimension was a good guy. She is portrayed by Kelli Kirkland.
- Elizabeth "Liz" Collins - Sam's "unseen" kid sister, who communicates with her brother off screen; usually through a vent connected from the upstairs. She always plays pranks on her older brother, usually dropping things on top of him through the vent. However, Sam does love his sister. She also seems to have an understanding with Amp. She is voiced by Kath Soucie.
[edit] Mega-Virus Monsters
[edit] Arsenal Programs
[edit] Xenon Program
- Xenon: A powerful humanoid robot created when Vitor, Tracto, and Borr combine. When it combines with Servo, they form Servo's upgrade, SYNCHRO, which is armed with a pair of shoulder drill missiles.
- Vitor: A red fighter jet armed with lasers, missiles and a rig to restrain monsters; its pilot was originally Amp, followed later by Lucky. On one occasion it was piloted by Sydney, who had trouble flying it. Vitor forms Synchro's helmet and body armor; and Xenon's head, arms, and chest.
- Tracto: A blue mini tank with lasers; its driver is Tankor. Tracto forms Synchro's boots and Xenon's legs.
- Borr: An orange and black tank with twin drills that can burrow underground; its driver is Sydney. Once it was piloted by Amp, who had problems driving it. Also, a famous basketball player -- Charles "High Jump" Johnson -- was dragged along to fight a Mega Virus Monster as a temporary driver for Borr when the band used the vehicles to escape the locked high school (in the episode "Syber-Dunk"). Borr forms Synchro's gauntlets and shoulder armor; and Xenon's torso and upper legs.
[edit] Drago Program
- Drago: A mechanized Dragon formed when Jamb and Torb combine. It was almost always piloted by Tanker, and occasionally by Sydney. Later in the series, Jamb and Torb would just appear as one single jet fighter and was piloted by either Sydney or Tanker and eventually just transform into Drago. When it combines with Servo, they form Servo's upgrade known as PHORMO. Phormo is armed with a pair of laser gauntlets. Neither Amp or Lucky have piloted Drago during the series run. While Tanker and Syd were the default pilots for the "Drago Jet," Miss Starky did pilot the vehicle in one episode ("Starkey in Syberspace").
- Jamb: A dragon head mini-jet which also acts as a bazooka type flame thrower, known as the Dragon Cannon, which is used by Servo. Its main pilot is Sydney.
- Torb: A giant jet with various weaponry. Its main pilot is Tanker.
[edit] Episodes
The series ran for 53 episodes in 2 seasons. It aired on Saturday Mornings on ABC and in Weekday Syndication simultaneously. While it was never as popular as Power Rangers, it actually ran longer than its Japanese counterpart, Gridman, which only lasted for 39 episodes.
The series also had 5 more final episodes that did not air in the United States.
[edit] Watch Episodes Online
As of March 2008, DIC Entertainment has added the series to their online programing. Fans are able to watch episodes straight from DIC's KEWL Cartoons website
[edit] DVD Release
As of October 2007, DIC Entertainment has no plans to put the series on DVD. However, they continue to tell fans to keep checking their website for updated information on DVD releases, because "It may be released at some point in the future."
[edit] Trivia
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Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones. |
- Compared to other American adaptations of Japanese Tokusatsu series, SSSS actually kept more plot points from Gridman than series adapted by Saban (such as Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Masked Rider). One of the major differences, however, was that Zenon and Drago did not have pilots in Gridman, and instead were "Helper Programs" which aided Gridman in battle. Furthermore, Naoto (Gridman's human "host") always entered the computer world with his changing brace, known as the "Axepter," while Sam rarely used this brace and instead struck his guitar. Due to the greater computer theme in Gridman, there was no need for the guitar.
- In two episodes where the virus caused televisions to shut down, footage from the opening of Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors was playing on TVs when they deactivated.
- Other than the time Malcolm was turned into a virus (in the episode Mal-Kahn-Tent), only 4 other different viruses in the show's history could actually speak. The most famous of those would have to be the one known as Skorn, deemed to be maybe the smartest of viruses, who was voiced by Neil Ross. Skorn was used on 4 different occasions (though he only spoke in 3 of those, while on one other he was silent). Ross would actually also provide the voice for the Stupid Virus (from Cheater, Cheater, Megabyte Eater), and Jess Harnell provided the voice of the Rock n' Roll Virus (from Rock n' Roll Virucide). Also (in "Pride Goeth Before a Brawl"), Sydney's virus could also actually speak, but no voice actor or actress was credited.
- In Japan, Tsuburya and Terebi-Kun Magazine had an article concerning Gridman Sigma with Takeshi Todo becoming Sigma; unfortunately, it wasn't a second season series. In the episode "Kilokahn is Coming to Town", Malcolm Frink almost became Servo when Kilokahn attacked Sam. However, he was only able to send Sam's soul into the computer. This is noted to be interesting because if Tsuburya did create Gridman Sigma, it would be quite evident that Syber Squad would have a second season and Malcolm Frink would take up the role of Sigma and making him a protagonist in the series.
- Three VHS tapes have been released in the US: "To Protect and Servo" Containing the episodes Amp Loves You, Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! and Lights, Camera, Action, "A Skorn in Their Side" Containing the episodes His Master's Voice and An Un-Helping Hand, and "The Glitch that Stole Christmas" Containing the episodes Do not Reboot Till Christmas and Kilokhan is Coming to Town
[edit] External Links
- Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad at the Internet Movie Database
- TVShowsOnDVD.com, vote for Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad to be released onto DVD.
- Toku Central, a fansite for American, Japanese and other Toku related shows.
- Henshin! Talk, a message board to discuss Superhero shows.
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